Whiskey
by RoxxyGirl
Summary: A figure from Nami's past appears. Thing is, not even Nami really understands who he is. Not by a long shot. How will the Strawhat's handle this strange man and his situation. More importantly, how will Nami? No pairings atm, probly wont have any.
1. Pinwheel

Cocoyashi Village

A shadow loomed over the streets as a man walked down the road, pushing a cart full of knickknacks and toys. The man leaned over his burden, panting and dripping with sweat. Suddenly, he felt a small tug on the leg of his trousers, and glanced down. A small child looked up at him eagerly, pointing towards a pinwheel among his many piles of junk. He let out a low chuckle and squatted down, picking up the girl and bringing her up to the cart. She let out a gleeful squeal as the fins of the pinwheel tickled her hands when she batted them playfully. The man threw his head back and full out laughed, his voice deep and rich, echoing through the streets, attracting the attention of many of the bystanders. The girl looked up at him curiously, searching for what he found so funny. Eventually, she began giggling for reasons she couldn't understand. It just felt natural to laugh. She reached up with her small hands and gripped the stubble on the man's jaw, laughing as the hairs pricked and tickled her palms. The man leaned his head in, and placed his forehead against hers, giving her a big smile. He heard a small gasp from over his shoulder, and knowing his time was up, turned around, and put the girl down. The girl ran over to her frantic mother, eagerly telling her about the man with the pinwheel. The mother picked up her daughter, and held her tightly. Apparently, the girl was lost amongst the crowd. The man smiled as they turned, ready to go home. He reached out a large hand, and tentatively placed it on the mothers shoulder. Shocked, she turned around, only to see nothing but the big red pinwheel the man shoved into her hand. She opened her mouth to protest, having no money to pay, when a finger was placed over her lips. The man let out a quiet "Shhhh" and winked at her daughter, who was already fast asleep over her mothers shoulder. He grinned at her, and turned back to his cart, continuing to push it up the road. The mother stared at the memento, and placed it in her daughter's hands, where the tiny fingers curled around the handle, and the faintest smile appeared on her innocent face. Even with his back turned, he could feel the mother's thanks. The moment he was sure he was no longer a threat to waking up the sleeping child, he threw his head back, and let out his laugh, once again.

Cocoyashi Village, Sheriffs Office

Genzo was bent over his desk, muttering as he went through posters and paperwork. The enlarged picture of Nami's wanted poster hung on his wall, and he occasionally glanced at it, grumbling about how it was too indecent. There was a vaguely familiar knock on his door, and he let out a rough "Come in". The door creaked open and heavy footsteps fell as the person walked in and plopped into the chair across from his. Still preoccupied with his work, Genzo waited for the person to voice their issues. The intruder remained silent, apparently content with watching Genzo work. Genzo could practically feel the pair of eyes burrowing into his skull. Just as he was about to snap, the intruder piped up.

"Yo, Genzo, long time no see." At the sound of his voice, Genzo's head snapped up. He ran his eyes across the figure across from him, and something in his mind clicked in place. With a shout of joy, he leapt up from his desk, paperwork left fluttering in the air, forgotten, and embraced the man in a tight hug.

"Hahaha, you son of a bitch! I never thought I'd see you again!" Genzo laughed as he held the man. He let go, and grabbed the man by his shoulders. "My god, it's been ages since you last stopped by this little wayward town!" The man gave him a grin, and wrapped an arm around Genzo's shoulder.

"What, did you really think I could just leave you guys alone?" Both men let out heartfelt laughs as they talked. Suddenly, the man snapped his fingers. He firmly pushed Genzo back into his chair, and with a mysterious smile, leaned out the door, only to pop back in with a bottle of amber liquid, a bucket of ice, and three glasses.

"Hah! So I finally get to taste some of your famous homemade whiskey eh?" Genzo eyed the bottle eagerly. "Well, it's been at least five years since I've last had a good drink, lets see if you've gone rusty yet!" The man laughed as he poured the alcohol into the cups, dropping in three cubes of ice into each cup. The men clinked their glasses together to celebrate their reunion, and drank heavily. Genzo gasped up from his cup, the whiskey burning his throat with warmth and nostalgia. Tears formed in his eyes from the strong drink, and he let out a breath of air. Red faced, he looked up at the man.

"I tell yah, you've been here for less than ten minutes, and I'm already drinking my ass off in the middle of the day!" The man guffawed as he refilled the glasses.

"If you want to stop at anytime, just let me know." Genzo let out a laugh as he emptied his glass again.

"What, are you joking with me? Like I could pass up a drink with you!" They clinked glasses again, this time just because they could, and tilted their cups, emptying the contents. "Gotta ask though, why three cups?"

The man cocked an eyebrow at him quizzically. Then, he jutted a thumb over his shoulder. "For that curious new deputy of yours, of course." Genzo glanced at where he was pointing, just in time to see Mary duck out of view. He chuckled and walked over to the door, thrusting it open to find his terrified deputy hiding beneath her desk. Genzo was pretty scary as it was, the second man who held Genzo like a brother was terrifying.

"Mary…" Genzo started, only to be interrupted by a loud crash and a yelp of pain, as Mary tried to leap to attention from under her desk. She crawled out from her hiding spot, nursing the bump on the top of her head.

"Yes sir?" she stated tentatively.

"Mary, come in and introduce yourself. You're new here. Well, at least to him, you are."

Mary turned pale, and a shade green at the thought of being introduced to the man inside. But orders are orders, and manners are manners. Neither of which could be ignored. Hesitantly, she stood up, brushed off her uniform, and marched in. The stench of alcohol was heavy, but it was nothing compared to the man in front of her. His sheer presence seemed to knock her off her feet, and she held onto a drawer to steady herself. She managed to get off a salute, and shakily introduced herself.

"D-Deputy Mary, r-re-reporting in, Sir!" The man looked at her as if she were insane. He seemed to think for a bit, before pushing whatever thought he was having aside, and motioned her in. Like she could move. Mary stood there uncertainly, not sure of what she was supposed to do in this situation. She was being beckoned into what undeniably felt like a rabid lions den, but she couldn't exactly refuse. Not to mention her legs have turned into some form of pudding and refused to let her run. She felt something grab her shoulder and let out a yelp of surprise. She turned and saw Genzo gazing down at her, slightly amused.

"Hey Lion, turn it down a bit, you're scaring my deputy." The man, apparently called Lion, suitably enough, looked back up, rather confused. He seemed to realize something, and let out a small "Oh!", and suddenly, the air became more tolerable, atmosphere became more bearable, and Mary was able to breathe again.

"My bad, my bad." The man laughed with a grin. "I forget myself sometimes." He relaxed a bit as the two law enforcers walked into the room. "Still, kind of weak kneed isn't she?"

Genzo settled back into his chair and took a sip from his glass. He sighed appreciatively at the whiskey and looked at Lion. "Not really, I'm surprised she actually lasted that long in _your_ haki. Hell, I'm surprised even _I_ lasted that long in your haki. You're kind of crazy y'know." He lifted the glass and inspected the amber fluid. "Although I guess the booze helps a little." He grinned and set the glass back down.

"Yeah, yeah, my bad. Not used to holding it in." Lion drained the remnants inside his own glass, and looked up at Mary, holding out the third glass for her with an apologetic look on his face.

"Oh, uh…" Mary stammered, "I don't really drink…" Lion simply pouted and looked up at her with shimmering eyes, swishing the contents of the glass almost seductively.

"Oh…alright, fine." She smiled slightly as the man let out a victorious whoop and she took the glass from him with both hands. She looked fearfully down at the liquid, the pungent smell burning her eyes and nose. Mary held her breath, lifted the glass, and quickly took a swig of the mysterious whiskey offered to her. A sweet and velvet taste washed over her mouth, seeming to coax her throat into opening for the alcohol. As she swallowed, she could feel the warmth spread from her stomach to the very tips of her fingers and toes. She gasped, staring at the drink in amazement.

"What is this?" The men grinned at each other, and Genzo leaned over, looking far more relaxed than she had ever seen him before.

"It's a very special type of whiskey that you can find nowhere else." He said mysteriously. "Every drop was hand made and processed by Lion over there. You'll never find it anywhere but from him." Lion gave her a tip of an imaginary hat, grinning with pleasure at the compliments paid towards his hard work. Genzo continued with his story, with a sparkle in his eye. "It's so special, that it actually has a unique taste for each and every individual person, a taste that is completely indescribable." Mary stared at the drink in awe, absorbing every word that Genzo was saying like sponge. Genzo gave Lion a bemused look. "Some people say that Lion is actually a fairy, and the whiskey is actually his magic in liquid form." At this, Mary's head shot up, stars in her eyes.

"Really?" She asked in a hushed voice, as if being too loud would disrupt the magic alcohol. She looked at Lion with a glimmer of hope, having always loved fairy tales without letting anyone know. "Wow…liquid magic…" her dreams abruptly shattered as she heard the men snickering. Genzo was beet red from holding in his laughter, and Lion was already pounding the desk, sending papers flying everywhere as he dissolved into a fit of hysterical giggles. Mary blushed as tears began swelling in her eyes. She slammed the glass on the table and spun on her heel, intent on storming out of the office, possibly forever. She heard Lion break down in laughter as he actually fell out of his chair, clutching his sides. Genzo chased after her, heaving with laughter at his little prank.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, that wasn't nice, I know." He gasped, tears of mirth streaming down his eyes.

"I don't like you when your drunk, sir…" Mary wailed, rubbing her eyes.

"Don't worry about it, I don't usually get drunk." Genzo stated matter-of-factly.

"You will now, since _he's_ here." Mary glared over her shoulder at Lion, the bearer of her misfortune.

" Ah, well if it's that, then there's nothing to be worried about." Mary looked up at her superior questioningly.

"Lion is a traveling merchant. Never stays in one place too long. He may have some strange attachment to this place, but he always leaves after a few weeks." He glanced down at his deputy reassuringly, "He'll be here for a month at the most. And then he'll be gone for another year or two before he saunters back into town." Genzo gazed blankly at Lion, who was now trying to catch his breath as he heaved his way back into his chair. He grabbed his deputy by the shoulders, and wheeled her back into the room.

"Oh, the princess is back." Lion chuckled softly as Mary came back into the room. Mary simply turned her face away from him, thrusting her nose into the air.

"Aww, come on, sweet heart, don't be like that." Lion pined. "It was just a little joke!"

"Don't worry about her, Lion, just hurt pride." Genzo walked back into his office and sat down. The fun was over, it was time to talk.

"Now, I'm assuming that you will eventually go and visit _them_." Genzo nodded towards the edge of the village. Lion cocked his head quizzically.

"Of course, that goes without saying."

Genzo sighed, and pushed down the rim of his hat. "It's been a really long time since your last visit, I can't even remember how long. You used to come every year, sometimes every month, when you just disappeared. But during the time you were gone, something happened."

"She died." Lion's quiet comment came with a deadly tone. Genzo looked up with surprise.

"You knew?"

"No, I guessed." Lion glanced at the cottage just barely visible on the far side of the island.

"Right, that intuition of yours. Then there's something else you should know." Genzo let out a deep sigh, and the mood became heavy, in contrast to the cheery atmosphere that had adorned the office mere minutes ago.

" The little one…she joined the people who killed her for a while. They left…scars that should remain buried." He looked up at the man who seemed to be completely unsurprised by anything he's said so far. "We were actually planning to riot against the tyrants when you next came, figured you'd be strong enough to tear that place apart." Genzo let out a sad smile, "But she beat us to it. She brought her friend, a crazy kid who wants to be pirate king. And he tore down Arlong Park."

"And now she joined his crew." Lion's eyes narrowed even as the words left his lips. Genzo seemed almost scared under the man's gaze. "That, I was able to figure out from the posters." He gave a curt nod towards Nami's wanted poster.

"Right." Genzo leaned forward. "Now, I never got what your obsession with them is, but tread carefully." He clasped his hands around his friend's, "They put up a tough front, you know how they are. But it can still be pretty delicate."

Lion gave Genzo his mysterious smile and grasped the hand in his.

"I know."


	2. The Grove

Nojiko wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of a gloved hand. She looked up towards the glaring sun, covering her eyes to keep herself from going blind. It was insanely hot this particular day. She tugged at the basket full of tangerines, trying to get her shoulder under the strap, but it refused to budge. After a few more futile attempts, she gave up. It was a pain, but you reap what you sow. Getting distracted and overfilling the basket was a stupid thing to do. Now she had to empty some out, and come back for them later. She gave the basket one last desperate pull, and sat down using the basket as support, panting.

"Need a hand?" A voice inquired from god-knows-where. Not wanting to be a bother to the kind person who was looking out for her well-being, Nojiko politely refused.

"No, no, everything's under control. Just a bit tired is all." She gave a weak grin at nobody in particular, not even sure if she was actually talking to someone, or having a heat induced hallucination.

"It's no problem, really." A shadow passed over her eyes, and she heard a muffled thud from boots landing in the soft soil. A hand ruffled her hair, and suddenly, the basket was pulled out from behind her. She gave out a light yelp as her only support was yanked away, and rolled onto her back. She heard a deep hearty laugh as her benefactor walked towards her cottage, basket slung over one shoulder. The laugh was very familiar. She was about to shout out to him that the door was locked, when he reached up and lifted up a potted fern, where Bellemere and the girls had stashed their emergency key. He opened the door with and walked into the cottage with practiced ease, as if he'd lived there for years. Nojiko stared at the door, bewildered at how a total stranger could know where the secret key spot was. Sure, it wasn't the most imaginative of places, but on the first try?

"You coming in or not?" The voice questioned her with a hint of amusement. "You're getting your clothes dirty, lying in the dirt like that." The last piece clicked into place. The figure, the laugh, and the familiar presence. She let out a dark chuckle and stood up, brushing off her pants, vaguely aware that she should be irked that her new jeans were now ruined, and needed to be washed. She walked into the cottage and saw the tangerines carefully placed in the corner. The man walked in through the front door, where you could see his vendor cart, rocking in the summer breeze.

"You're supposed to be dead, you know?" she told him matter of factly. He let out another laugh.

"You'd be surprised how much I hear that." He said, chuckling. "Although usually, when it comes from women, it tends to sound more like 'I'm going to kill you'."

Nojiko walked over to the counter, and started heating up the teakettle.

"No, I mean as in I turned over your corpse and looked you in the face." She rapped her finger on the counter, impatient for the water to boil. The man let out a sigh.

"You tell me that every time." He stood up and walked over. "I know you can't forgive me, but how long will you hold it against me?" He placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. "I didn't mean to do it. I'm sorry." Those words, those hated words struck a nerve. Nojiko spun around, knocking his hand away, and smashed the whistling teakettle into his stupid face, splashing boiling water over him. She watched with a sick sense of pleasure as he stumbled backwards, clutching his cheek.

"Oh, you're sorry, are you? That's just _great_. Means everything's okay now doesn't it." She advanced towards the man, no longer taking pleasure in his pain, but feeling only rage. Rage towards the man in front of him. "What exactly are you so sorry about, Lion-kun?" She smashed the kettle into his head again, only to be further enraged as he simply took the abuse without protest or resistance. Not even a flinch. "What could you _possibly_ have to apologize for?" The kettle came down on his skull, and a trace of blood splashed the floor. "Is it for abandoning us to save your own filthy hide?" She raised the kettle again. "Or is it for not being here when we actually needed you for once?" The disfigured teakettle fell to the ground, dripping with blood and water. "Or maybe it's for letting those _bastards_ take away the only family I had left." Her hands trembled from the previous impacts as she tried to make a fist. Tears of hate streamed down her cheeks as she glared at the man across from her. "I know you were watching. You're always watching." She pounded her fist into his broad chest. "I _know_ you could have torn those-those _things_ in half with one hand." She poked her finger into his chest. "Which means you _let_ these things happen. You _let_ Arlong kill Bellemere, and you _let_ them take Nami away." She shoved him, only to be propelled backwards by her own actions. "Which means that you _let_ Nami suffer all alone for eight years. _Eight years_." She pointed her finger accusingly at the large man, who seemed to be shrinking by the second. "Which means that you abandoned her. The same way you abandoned us when we were kids." Lion hesitantly moved closer. He reached out a hand slowly, but pulled it back, thinking it'd be wiser not to touch her at the moment.

"Nojiko…." He began tentatively, only to be cut off.

"_Shut UP_!" She screamed. "I've lied to Nami for _eighteen years_ about you, and you don't even have the dignity or grace to save what little peace we had left."

"No, it's no-" He began to protest, only to be interrupted again.

"Not what?" Nojiko spat at him. "It's not that you didn't? But that you couldn't?" She laughed bitterly. "What a joke. A fleet of warships wouldn't be able to keep you away, but suddenly one fish man can?" She turned and faced the wall, trying to regain her composure.

"Get out." She said quietly. "I'll keep your filthy secret for the rest of my life, but not for you." She snapped. "I'm doing it to protect her from someone like you. So just get out." Lion stood there; contemplating for a moment, before he slowly turned and walked out the door. A few moments later, Nojiko could hear his footsteps as he walked back in. There was a clink of glass on the table, before the footsteps retreated back outside. She could hear him lean against his cart, and push, the cart crackling as it ran over grains of dust and sand. She turned and stared at the table. On it, was a bottle full of whiskey. She picked it up, and popped the cork, taking a swig directly from the bottle. She swished the alcohol in her mouth before spitting it out, staring at the bottle in disgust. They used to mix this special brand of whiskey with juices and eggnog, and they had made butterflies dance in her tummy. Now this man's vile wine tasted like ash. She took another swig, and hurled the bottle into the garbage, where it shattered on impact, and the amber fluid sloshed onto the floor. She looked into the mirror and tried to fix her appearance. She bustled around, throwing out the now useless teakettle and wiping up the blood and water. Outside, she heard kids laughing as they made their way up to her cottage. She could hear Chabo chattering away with the neighborhood kids and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, did you see that guy? His cart has so much cool stuff and-Oh look, we're here." Nojiko quickly brushed herself off again; making sure that there was no remnants of Lion's visit still lingering in her home.

"Nojiko baa-chan!" the cry came in unison. "We came over to plaaay!" She flung open the door with a big cheery smile.

"Who are you calling 'baa-chan' huh? It should be 'nee-chan'!" the children squealed with laughter as she chased after them.

"Come on, you little rascals. Get in here and help me wash some tangerines." The kids laughed as they tumbled and stumbled their way in. Nojiko gave her surroundings one final sweep through narrowed eyes, making sure that her antagonist was nowhere to be found.

The night was silent and the stars were bright as a man stumbled up the hill to the edge of the cliff. Lion drained the last drop of booze from his bottle, and after shaking it a couple times to ensure it was empty, dropped the now empty canister into the ocean. He looked at the single grave that adorned the cliff. He sighed and crouched down in front of it with a small hiccup.

"Mm well, y'know..." he started, his speech incredibly impaired. "I guess…I should apologize or somethin'…" His eyes glassed over and he looked up at the sky.

"Shit…the hell am I doin' here…" He looked at the grave again. "Sorry…sorry for not protectin' yeh and the girls…" He touched the wooden cross, wiping some dust off. " An' sorry for…not savin' yer life when I shoulda…" He giggled slightly and hiccupped again. "I'm a real bastard, y'know that?" And as if confirming it for himself, "Yeah, y'know that…'course y'do. You of all people, right?"

"Well, more importantly, I brought you a lil' somethin'." Lion put a hand inside his coat, and pulled out another bottle.

"It's yer favorite kind. Rice sake." He tugged at the cork, which stubbornly refused to leave its resting spot. "Now, I know it's not my specialty, but I put in a lot of effort to make this'un." He began to turn red, yanking at the cork with his thick fingers.

"An' I really hope you'll en-Oh fer cryin' out loud!" Lion put the bottle on the top of the grave, and pulled out a pistol, aiming at the rebellious bottle with a murderous gleam in his eyes.

_Bam!_

He lowered the smoking pistol and stared in awe at the intact bottle.

"How the…how the hell'd you do that?" He exclaimed at the inanimate object. He gazed in disbelief at the pistol.

"It's called 'Missing because you're too drunk to aim', Lion." Lion spun around to face the speaker, a little too fast. He stumbled and dropped the gun, leaning against the grave and knocking the bottle to the ground.

"Here, use this." Genzo tossed his friend a corkscrew, grinning as Lion fumbled with the utensil while trying to pick up the bottle of sake at the same time. He muttered his thanks and worked the tip of the screw into the cork before yanking it out. He lifted the bottle to his lips, and was about to take a sip before he remembered whom the wine was for.

"Oh, tha's right. This isn't for me…" He turned and carefully poured the beverage into the soil on the grave.

"There you go…" he cooed, "Drink up…It's the last one you'll get from me, so you make sure you savor it."

Genzo watched as his old friend emptied the last of the contents of the bottle into the grave, and gently place the empty container next to the cross.

"It's kind of funny…" Genzo started, "Just a few months ago, I was up here doing the exact same thing."

"What, getting so drunk you couldn't hit a bottle two feet from your face?" Lion walked back towards Genzo, and leaned against a tree.

"Nah, I was giving Bellemere here a nice little memorial." He paused, "It was right before Nami left for sea." He stopped and watched his friend. Lion's face was impossible to read, too passive or too relaxed to tell what was going on in his mind.

"Zat so…" Lion procured a cigarette and offered one to Genzo. Genzo took the offered cigarette, as well as the lighter that followed. He took a deep drag and released the smoke into the air.

"What happened at Nojiko's, Lion. You aren't yourself."

Lion stiffened, and relaxed again. Letting out a puff of smoke, he drawled, "Nothin', absolutely nothin' happened. Waddya mean I'm not myself?"

Genzo cocked an eyebrow at his friend. "Well, for one, you're drunk."

"I'm always drunk." Was the stubborn reply.

"Okay…you're smashed." There was a slight pause as Lion mulled this over.

"…Alright, slightly more uncommon, but still happens." Genzo let out a frustrated sigh, pushing back his hat and scratching his scalp.

"You're smashed and you're alone, Lion. You do drunk and smashed with friends or at a party, you never drink alone." He watched the cigarette dangling between Lion's lips. It bobbed up and down as the man sucked in the poison.

"Nothin' good happened…better not to talk about it." He laughed, tapping the ash off the end of his cigarette. "But something tells me I'm not welcome there anymore."

An awkward silence dropped as the men stared at the sky.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Not sure. I'm leaving port tomorrow. Probably make my rounds and be back by the end of the year." Lion turned and began walking towards town. Genzo just stood there, leaning against his tree, watching the grave under the moonlight.

"Hey, Lion." He called out.

"Yeah?"

"I don't smoke."

"Yeah, neither do I."

Sorry this chapter was so emo/angsty. Just felt it was necessary.


	3. Tangerine

A few months later…

_Grand Line_

"Hoist those sails! Secure the anchors! Someone strap Usopp to the mast before he jumps ship!" Nami gripped the hood of her jacket as the winds threatened to blind her. Rain pelted the deck of the Thousand Sunny as the crew ran around, tying down anything that wasn't already nailed down. Luffy scampered around the deck, laughing as a rogue barrel of Cola attempted to roll him up like a cooking pin. Franky struggled with the stubborn wheel, as Chopper tried to help him in his normal form, before remembering he could grow larger. Zoro was hanging from the mast, busy with the ropes, as salt water stung his face. Sanji was busy setting up tarps over the tangerine trees, in hopes of keeping his Nami-swan happy. Nami looked down at the log pose. The needle of the compass spun like crazy, unable to ascertain their position. She glared at the log pose, willing it to make up its mind before she figures out a way to disembowel inanimate objects.

"The log pose is fine, Nami-chan." Robin appeared next to her, holding onto her hat lest it flies off to a world unknown.

"Eh? What do you mean the log pose is fine? It's gone haywire!" Nami returned her glare to the log pose, tapping it with her finger.

"It's not the log pose, Nami-chan. It's the ocean." Robin gave her a small smile and looked back at the wild seas. "While it may not feel like it, the currents are actually spinning the Thousand Sunny so fast, it makes it seem like the log pose is broken. A really rare phenomenon actually." She watched the water's spit and smash against the boat with mild interest. "It's called the 'Sailor's Hysteria'. Many seafarers who don't know about it are tricked into disposing their 'broken' log pose, which leaves them hopelessly lost."

Nami watched Robin talk, waiting for her to continue, but the raven-haired woman simply stood there, watching the insane ocean with a serene gaze.

"Umm…Robin onee-sama…" she started weakly, "is there something in that story that tells us how to get out of here?"

Robin looked over at her, mildly surprised, and easily answered, "Nope."

Nami let out a sad sigh. The one person who she could really rely on was being no use at all, and the fact that the most reliable person was an ex-assassin who tried to kill them didn't make things any better.

Fwump

Nami looked up just in time to see Zoro land on his back. A gust of wind had picked him up off the mast, and smashed him into the grass on the deck. He slowly got to his feet, growling insults at the weather, and proceeded the long climb back to the unfinished knots. As if responding to the swordsman's challenge, the storm became even more violent, thrashing and bucking the Thousand Sunny. Another large gust of wind hit the ship, and this time, a flimsy black object was thrown across the deck, embedding itself into the wall, right next to Nami's head. Both women spun around and stared at the well-dressed skeleton, which was upside down and fit snugly into the small crater he had made in the wall. Brooke struggled with his predicament for a bit, but the constant gales simply forced him further and further into the wall. Eventually, he gave up; consenting to his situation, before turning a hollow gaze at Nami.

"Good afternoon Nami-san." The cheery voice was barely made over the howling of the storm. "It appears my buttocks have become stuck in the wall. Although as a skeleton, I do not actually have buttocks! Yohohohohohohoho!" The insane laughter prompted Nami to swivel around, and pretend everything were okay.

"Franky! How are thing's up there!" she yelled.

"Definitely NOT SUPER!" was the strained reply. "I'm losing control of my SUPER ship in this totally NOT SUPER STORM!" There was a sudden flash of light in the clouds, followed by a loud thundering. Suddenly, the currents calmed, the winds died, and the storm simply dissipated. Ignoring a struggling Brooke's confused 'Yoho?'s, She glanced back at the log pose. The needle was steady as it pointed to the northeast.

Problem.

The ship was facing southwest. They were effectively going backwards. Nami groaned and held her face in her hands. She resisted the urge to burst into tears. Making any progress on this ocean was a miracle per mile. And they were going backwards. Who knew how long they had been sailing in the wrong direction! And while they are redirecting, only about a billion other things can go wrong, pushing them even further back.

"Oh well…" Nami thought to herself, "What were you expecting with these half-wits…" She gathered all her remaining strength, and began shouting out orders. Her crew snapped out of their oblivious celebrating and rushed around, desperate to keep in line lest they unleash the fury of the she-devil. Except for Luffy. As always, Luffy was completely unaffected by the storm, Nami, and even the Cola barrel that was now resting peacefully where his spleen should be. As well as several other major organs. He nuzzled his head against the grass and flopped his legs against the ground. He waved his arms, trying to make a snow…grass…angel…thing. Nami pinched the bridge of her nose. This idiot right here was the source of half her stress. Luffy stopped rolling for a second as a heeled, open toed sandal slammed down next to his head. Luffy cocked his head quizzically at the shoe, and looked up to find an extremely aggravated looking Nami.

"Huh…wonder what's wrong with her…" Luffy hugged the barrel as he stared at Nami. "Oh, I know, maybe she's thirsty and wants me to share the Cola with her." Glad he figured out what was wrong with his navigator, Luffy happily hopped to his feet, holding out the barrel with a goofy grin on his face. Right before the barrel made contact with the girl's face, he seemed to reconsider. "But this isn't my Cola, so I really shouldn't give it to her." He had no idea how his careless thought had spared his life by mere centimeters.

"Hey Franky!" he called up, "Nami's thirsty and wants to know if she can drink a barrel of your Co-" A fist connected with his face as Nami threw all her strength into that one punch. He spiraled across the deck and connected with the figurehead, unceremoniously bouncing off the lion's mane, and falling into the ocean. She was somewhat able to make out Usopp accusing her of murder from his position latched to the ship's mast, as Chopper ran around in frenzy, trying to decide which was more important, the drowning captain, or the murderer. Finally deciding that Luffy should take priority over the escaped, thirty foot tall, bloodthirsty, homicidal, maniac/murderer, (it just turns out this way sometimes y'know? Blame the media) the little reindeer hopped onto the railing, and jumped in after his captain. Sure that either the cook, first mate, or a combination of the two, would save the two hammers; Nami turned her attention to the sky. She was able to make out dark clouds on the horizon, but the wind told her that there was nothing to fear. Nevertheless, she was taking no risks. This ocean was crazy enough as it is. No need to sit around for a storm they could have avoided.

"Navigator-san" Robin called out to her. "It appears we may have some company." She rushed over to the railing. Floating gently on the waves, right next to the Thousand Sunny, was a little dinghy. The sail bore a mark with a chest with two swords stuck in them, vaguely familiar.

"It doesn't seem to be an enemy, so just keep going, I suppose…" Nami glanced at the dark clouds nervously, "We should move as soon as possible." Robin looked at her questioningly.

"Why, what's the matter, Navigator-san?"

"Err," Nami scratched her face, "just a bad feeling, I guess." Suddenly, a voice appeared from behind them. And it wasn't Brooke, who was still stuck in the wall, and just as surprised by the voice as the women, letting out a startled squawk.

"If it's the weather you're worrying about, I'll tell you now, it's sunny skies and clear sailing for the next week." They spun around to confront the man, who was leaning against the wall. He was a monster, easily six feet tall and quite muscular. He had wild golden hair that fell past his shoulders, and his beard reached his chest. His chest stretched his ragged brown vest to its limits, and his pants were torn and wearied. His thick-soled boots had suspicious scratches on them. He wore a cowboy hat over his eyes, and a silver crucifix hung from his neck. From his belt, hung many small pouches, and one very, very large holster. He was bouncing a tangerine from one of Bellemere's trees, and took a large bite into it, eating the peel and all. He chewed satisfactorily, tangerine juices dripping down from his lips and becoming lost in the jungle of hair. In an instant, what remained of the crew had him completely surrounded. Robin had activated the Hana Hana fruit and had six arms sprout from the man's body, in an attempt to hold him down. Franky activated Weapon's Left and peered down the sights in his hand, zeroing in on his head. Even the confused and still upside down Brooke had his sword at the ready, and was trying his best to jab the man in the leg, although he was out of range.

"Who are you, and how did you get on our ship?" Nami asked in the best threatening voice she could muster.

"Umm," the man scratched his neck awkwardly, "I came from the boat?" He jutted a thumb at the dinghy. "Sort of just walked on board. Nobody really stopped me." He chuckled at the crew's stupefied looks. "As for who I am…" He raised his hat and grinned at Nami, "Well, why don't you see for yourself." His face came into view, revealing his hazelnut eyes with a twinkle in them, and it took a moment for Nami to realize just who was under the hat.

"Neko ojii-chan!" She cried out, dropping her Clima-tact.

"Neko ojii-chan?" Franky questioned. This man looked like just about anything _but _a cat.

"Yeah, Neko ojii-chan!" Nami said happily. "His name is Lion, but back in my village, all the kids just call him Neko ojii-chan." 'Neko ojii-chan' smiled sheepishly at his pet name. "What are you doing all the way out here Neko jii-chan?"

"Y'know, I'd love to tell you, I really would. But could you please ask your beautiful friend here to please stop killing me?" Lion tugged uncomfortably at the arms straddling his neck. "I like my neck the way it is, thanks."

"Oh!" Nami suddenly realized that while she was incredibly comfortable around this man, her nakama were not. "It's okay guys, he's not just an old friend. He's from the Merchant's Guild."

"Merchant's Guild? What's that?" Usopp piped up, still tied to the mast. Even as he asked, Robin's arms had already dissolved into flower petals, and Franky had become considerably more relaxed, snapping his hand back into place. Even the hyperactive Brooke had sheathed his sword, and was once again attempting to extract himself from the walls of the Thousand Sunny. Nami had already proceeded to throw herself into Lion's huge arms, and no one seemed to remember the lone sniper latched to the mast. "Wait, what? Guys, I don't think you should just let him go like that! I've got a really bad feeling about letting him walk around guys! Guys?"

"Relax Usopp." Franky chided him. "He's from the Merchant's Guild, isn't he? He's fine."

"Huh? Wait, what's the Merchant's Guild?"

"Really, Nami, getting us all worked up over the Merchant's Guild. I really thought our lives were in danger, although as I am already dead, I do not have a life! Yohohohohohohoho!" Brooke simply tugged at the walls as he tried to pull himself out of his predicament. Fortunately, the newcomer had already gripped him by the leg, apparently unfazed by the fact he was holding a skeleton, and with a swift pull, yanked Brooke out of the wall, and onto the grass deck.

"Like I said guys, WHAT IS THIS MERCHANT'S GUILD!?" Usopp struggled against his bonds, desperate to escape his nakama's insanity.

"The Merchant's Guild is exactly what it sounds like." A voice appeared beside him. Lion pulled a large dagger from its sheath on his back and the blade licked Usopp's cheek. A few strands of hair fluttered down from the side of his head as the blades edge sliced them off his temples. Usopp froze in fear. This was dangerous. This man was dangerous. Very very very very very dangerous. He was coming down with a bad case of We-should-kick-this-man-off-our-boat-right-now disease.

"We're nothing but a neutral party who sails the seas and travels the lands, selling to and buying from whoever is willing to barter with us." The knife left his face, and he could hear it whistling through the air, whispering stories to him about how it craved his blood.

"It's an unspoken rule to never attack a member of the Merchant's Guild. Whether you are pirate, marine, or anything in between." His hairs stood on end as he felt the blades presence descending towards his exposed back. Not even the thick mast would be able to save him from this man's blade. He winced as he heard the cut, expecting to feel pain and agony. But the only thing that greeted him was a light sawing noise. Soon, the ropes around him fell limply to the floor, and the man had sheathed his knife. He grinned at Usopp and held out his hand.

"The name's Lion. Purido Lion. Good to meet you, King of Snipers." Usopp gawked at the hand. Suddenly, he felt very weak. And very foolish.

"O-o-of course I know that, I was simply making sure everyone else did too!" He stammered. "After all, I am the Great Captain Usopp, King of Snipers, and leader of over three hundred thousand fighting men!" He shakily extended his hand. "As a show of my hospitality, I will give you the honor of shaking my hand. This is very rare, so make sure you treasure this moment!"

Lion smirked. "Honored, sire." He grasped the offered hand and gave it a firm shake with both hands.

"Very good! You have the qualities to become a wonderful servant! Do you have any inter-Eh?" Usopp stared at his hand. There was something in it. It resembled a rope. He leaned in, closely inspecting the foreign object. Yes, yes, this was definitely rope.

"Hold on tightly 'Your Majesty', the package is rather important." Lion leaned against the railing, watching. Usopp finally felt it. He had unconsciously been gripping the rope as hard as he could out of fear, and he was being dragged across the deck towards the wide, open seas.

"Uwagh!" Usopp let go of the rope, not wanting to be dragged into the cold waters, teetering at the edge of the boat, trying to regain his balance. A large had shot out from behind him, grabbing the rope and pulling Usopp back to safety at the same time. Usopp fell backwards and scampered into the kitchen as Lion worked on the rope, pulling it up one hand at a time with ease. He reached down and grabbed the 'package' with a single hand.

"Hey, Nami!" He called out. Nami, who had been following him around like a small puppy since her discovery about his identity, jumped slightly as she was summoned.

"What is it ojii-chan?" She asked curiously, eagerly eyeing the edge of the deck, where the precious package was hidden from view.

"I think this belongs to you." With a small grunt, Lion heaved a drenched Luffy and Chopper onto the deck, holding both of them by the scruff of their necks with one hand. Nami's disappointment was evident and her face fell.

"Oh, those two." She looked away, uninterested. "Just throw them somewhere." Suddenly, Lion snapped his fingers, remembering something.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" He reached his free hand into a pouch hidden behind the combined bodies of Luffy and Chopper, and pulled out a large jar, filled to the brim with light orange gems. "These are for you." He held out the jar, only to pull back as Nami squealed with joy and reached for them eagerly. "Ah, ah, ah. You know the rules." He grinned a huge grin at her. " Give and take. You give something, you take something." He held the jar above her head tauntingly. "I'd say about a hundred berries each is fair." Nami pouted up at him, eyes brimming with tears. She wheedled up to him, nuzzling her head under his chin with hands clasped in hope. Finally, he relented.

"Alright, alright, take them you little thief." He let out a fake sigh, holding out the jar as if it were his newborn baby. "It's only 'cause you're so damn adorable though, so don't think it'll work every time!" He called out after her, but his words fell to deaf ears, as she had already snatched the jar and was hugging it to her chest, jumping with joy.

"I'm charging for the captain and raccoon though! A thousand each minimum!" Defeated, he looked down at the rubber boy and raccoon dog thing. He chuckled and dragged them towards the door Nami had disappeared through. Better get these two to bed before they get sick.

Usopp focused his goggles on the horizon. He didn't like that man. He wasn't very nice. Usopp scanned the horizon again, glancing at the sky uneasily. It was just supposed to be some bad looking clouds, but something didn't feel right. Something told him there was more. His eye caught something, and he locked onto it, zooming in. Suddenly he paled, and jerkily waded back into the cabin, pretending he had seen nothing. For across from the Thousand Sunny, resting on the horizon, there lay the burning wreckage of a dozen Marine ships, twisting and dying, the smoke rising from the bodies and polluting the sky.

"Nami-chan, what is that?" Robin eyed the jar Nami cradled suspiciously. "Rare and exotic jewels, perhaps?"

"Heehee." Nami giggled to herself, "Even better!"

Robin was taken aback. Something of even more merit than money to the navigator was like the second coming of Christ. "Even better than jewels?"

"Yeah!" The girl was absolutely bouncing in her seat as she fumbled with the lid of the jar. "These are candies made from Bellemere's tangerines!" She pulled out a light orange sucker, positively drooling, and popped it into her mouth. She savored the nostalgic taste, the tang of the citrus running over her senses.

"Ah, your adopted mother…" Robin trailed off, watching the younger woman as she squirmed around in pleasure. Nami peeked at Robin through one eye, and hesitantly held out the jar, almost like a child.

"Want one?"

Robin laughed softly. To be honest, she had little interest in sweets. But the innocence in Nami's eyes as she had asked that made it hard to refuse, and it was a good chance to get a literal taste of her past.

"Well, if it's only one, I suppose it won't hurt." She reached out into the jar, and plucked out the smallest candy she could find. Smiling, she showed it to Nami, and gently placed it into her mouth. Her eyes widened as the tangy sweetness ran its course. She could almost see Nami's mother picking tangerines in the grove, smell the ocean salt in the air of Cocoyashi Village, almost feel the love she had felt as she thought of her children. Along with a mixture of something else. A different type of love, yet very similar at the same time. More dark, mysterious, haunting. Yet still so seductive and sweet. Something…forbidden.

"See, it's good isn't it?" Robin was snapped back to reality by a curious Nami, who had crawled up to her face to study her expression. Slightly lost and bewildered, Robin took a moment to collect her thoughts. Finally, she smiled a genuine smile at Nami.

"It's the best."

"Yep. I knew it's the best!" The girl smiled happily to herself as she resealed the jar, placing it carefully next to her. "It's always the best."

Robin watched her, and felt a pang in her heart. Yet she had no idea why. So she reached out, and embraced the girl. As if closing the distance between their bodies would close the distance between their hearts.

"Eh? Robin, what's wrong?" A bewildered Nami bumbled around the woman's hold, unsure of what to do. Surrendering to her confusion, she decided that it would simply be for the best to let Robin get over her rare emotional moment, and let things work out for themselves.

"Nami?" Robin whispered into her ear sensually. Her hot breath tickled Nami's ear, making her blush a deep crimson.

"Y-yeah?"

"I think we forgot something…"

"Eh?" Robin pushed Nami back; her face showed she was clearly puzzled.

"I think we forgot something…" She repeated. Nami thought back hard. She replayed the events of the day. True, something was nagging at her from the back of her head, but nothing seemed to be really out of place.

"I get that feeling too…but I just can't remember it." Nami furrowed her brow in concentration. "Did we forget to pick something up at the last island?"

"I'm not quite sure…" the architect stroked her chin, thinking.

"Hmm…"

Zoro and Sanji treaded the ocean water aimlessly, waiting.

"This is all your fault you shitty marimo."

"…I blame you, you crap-cook."

That's all for now! Please don't hurt me T.T Anywho, I know I'm not a good person who updates anything like they're supposed to, so don't expect much I guess, I'm juggling work and play and sometimes a date, although fanfic is really fun, it's just not waaaaaay up there. Well, for those who are curious, no, I won't be emphasizing on Zoro or Sanji's time in the water, although I may make an extra chapter at some point talking about their quality time spent drowning together. For now, they're just gonna get picked up and plopped right back onto the Thousand Sunny. Soooooo, review and flame. Or whatever else it is happens here. =D


	4. Impressions

"Meeshtah will 'ou pwease shtowp pwaying wid mai fashe…" A groggy Luffy moaned as Lion stretched his cheeks in every which way. It had been rather hectic. Not only did Lion show up on board the Thousand Sunny, dragging a soaked Luffy and Chopper, but they had also set sail without the cook or first mate. It wasn't until much later when Luffy had just woken up and asked for food, did everyone realize they were missing. In the panic, they had effectively made no progress whatsoever, having had to retrace their steps until they found the swordsman and chef floating in the water like drowned rats. After a very pointless frenzy, Chopper finally resuscitated both of them and put them to bed. Lion on the other hand, simply stood to the side, watching the crew run around like crazed chimpanzees, occasionally lending a helping hand to a member. Although once Luffy had woken up, Lion had taken an immense liking to him. He'd been playing with the rubber boy for the past hour and a half. But not in the way Luffy usually preferred, which included, well, running around and looking at clouds. Lion was more interested in Luffy's Devil Fruit power.

"This is absolutely fascinating…" he murmured as he stretched the top of Luffy's lip to above his forehead, almost knocking off his prized hat in the process. "I've seen Devil Fruit users before, but not even the Logia type are quite as unique as this." With a snap, Luffy's face returned to the way it was originally, and the Straw Hat captain rubbed his cheeks. Lion then proceeded to prod Luffy's stomach, pinching and pulling and poking at the elastic muscle.

"Does your ability affect your bone?" He asked curiously. The rubber boy nodded vigorously, somewhat pleased at the attention he was receiving. "Hmm…" Lion sat back, scratching his chin.

"Hey kid, you ever consider a career in smuggling illeg-" his sentence was cut short as Nami's hand shot out from behind him and covered his mouth.

"Don't give him any stupid ideas, jii-san. He's too dense to understand what's going on." Nami hissed in his ear.

"Aww, c'mon! Look at him!" Lion's eyes turned into Berry signs, effectively creeping out anyone who was watching his face. (So basically just Chopper.) "He'd be perfect for the smuggling business. Do you have any idea how much I could fit in him?" He reached his hands out towards Luffy, his fingers twitching at the potential gold mine sitting in front of him, only to have his hand slapped like a bad child caught in the cookie jar.

"Forget about it. I'd rather not see you in prison because _that_ idiot got you caught." Nami shuddered, imagining Luffy dealing with shady characters.

The moron would probably just up and tell a marine, "They put a lot of guns and icky things in my tummy, so if you want to buy anything, I need to throw up." Luffy stared at Lion, and you could practically see the questions bubbling up in his head.

"Hey, ossan, what does smuggling mean?" he crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows. He was NOT moving until the strange old man gave him a detailed explanation to this 'smuggling' thing. Lion turned a pleading gaze at Nami, but she adamantly shook her head. She walked over to one of Lion's bags, and opened it, pulling out a large chew toy in the shape of a turkey leg.

"Here Luffy, go play with this." She tossed the toy across the boat, and Luffy was instantly off with a big "Ungyaaaaah! Meeeaaaat!" Lion watched with mild amusement as Luffy chased the rubber toy around the deck, determined to catch his 'easy' meal.

"That thing was five hundred Berries, by the way." He called over his shoulder at the retreating Nami.

"Just add it to my tab!" She yelled back. Lion chuckled as he turned his attention to the rest of the crew. Minus the unconscious swordsman and cook, everyone else seemed to be interested with the strange man who had simply clambered onto the Thousand Sunny and tried to turn their captain to the dark side. The only person who was willingly absent from the little gathering was the dark haired girl. Nico Robin, if he remembered correctly. He made a mental note to talk to her later, and since she seemed more level headed than the rest of the people on this ship, maybe get some information out of her. He was surprised when he found the blue haired man peering into his face with concern.

"Yo, ossan, you okay?" Franky asked him politely. "You were looking pretty un-super there for a moment."

"Oh, uh…" His mind raced through the wanted posters he had seen in his travels. This one was Cyborg Franky. "Yeah, no, I was just a bit caught up in thought Franky-san."

"Woah, you know my name?" The cyborg was apparently unaware of his status with the World Government.

"Umm, yeah? You're…kind of famous." Lion raised his eyebrow at Franky's shocked reaction. "You have a bounty? Remember? You guys declared war on the World Government. Jesus people, this isn't exactly something you can forget!" Lion shook his head in disbelief. These kids were definitely crazy. Not that he was one to speak, but still, not many people can forget declaring _war_ on something. So he did the only thing that seemed reasonable to him at the moment.

He laughed.

Lion threw his head back, and his booming laugh echoed across the seas.

"I like you brats." He chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye, "You're fun. Even if you guys are a bit weird." He pulled out a lollipop, and baited Chopper, who was hiding behind Usopp and Brooke. "I can see why Nami sticks around you guys." He said softly, patting Chopper on the head as the reindeer crept forward like a frightened kitten. Chopper jumped a bit at the contact, but after realizing that Lion wouldn't hurt him, carefully reached out and grabbed the lollipop with a hoof. He sat down and started licking the candy, since it was too large to fit in his mouth. He smiled contentedly as the man's calloused hands rubbed his back.

"Yeah, speaking about Nami," Usopp began warily, "you seem to be pretty close to her." Lion glanced at him, and Usopp panicked, instantly hiding behind Franky and Brooke. "W-w-what, you want to fight?"

"No, no, I'm not stupid enough to pick a fight with the mighty Usopp." Lion smirked at the quivering man.

"T-that's right, no one h-h-has the nerve to fight me!" Usopp stuttered, "I c-command a legion of-"

"Thirty thousand fighting men, I know, I know." Lion laughed a little, "and probably a few giants, right?"

"Y-yeah, so you've heard of me." Usopp pointed a shaking finger at the man and glared. "Since you know of me, you should know that you can't escape me! Now answer the question, you fiend!" Lion cocked an eyebrow.

"Fiend, eh?" He scratched his chin and leaned back against the mast. "Well, I don't see any harm in it." Lion stretched out his arms, and rested them behind his head.

"This is going to be really good." Chopper whispered to Brooke, eyes glimmering in anticipation as he licked his candy.

"Yoho?"

"Let's see…" Lion sighed, thinking. "It was a long, long time ago." The crew leaned in to hear his epic tale. "I went to a little island in the East Blue, called Cocoyashi Village." Everyone nodded excitedly. "And I met a bunch of kids and played with them. The end."

"The end?" Chopper questioned, and Lion could practically see the excitement shatter in his heart. "B-but, what about the dragons, and pirates, and monsters?" Tears began welling up in the little reindeer's eyes. "What about the adventure where you save Nami from the evil three headed ogre?" Lion chuckled softly.

"Well, I'm just a merchant, guys. I trade for a living." He patted Chopper on the head. "As cool as having an epic encounter would be, I'm afraid it just wasn't like that."

"So…what, you just met Nami when she was a kid, played some games, and grew attached?" Usopp sat down, cross-armed. "What the…that's a perfectly normal meeting!" He closed his eyes in thought, "Actually, if anything, it's kind of dull."

"Well, maybe for you guys." Lion grinned, "But for me, I found just a little bit more meaning to life that day. And that meaning grew every time I visited that little village." He sat up and stretched again. "And to me, that's one helluva adventure." Everyone was silent for a bit, as they watched as the old man reminisced about the past.

"Woah, ossan…that's pretty cool bro…" Franky whispered. "Finding a little meaning to life on a small island in the form of a little girl…that's…that's just…that's just so SUPER!" Franky began wailing, covering his face with an oversized arm. Lion jumped a bit at the sudden outcry, and smiled awkwardly. It's not everyday you get to see a huge man made of steel burst into tears. Most of the crew was satisfied with his story, and began to drift away. All but one. Chopper still looked crestfallen at having his adventure torn away from him. So as the little reindeer began to turn, Lion stopped him.

"Y'know," he started thoughtfully, "My meeting with Nami might not be interesting, but how about I tell you about the time I fought off an army of snake-men to save a country's princess?" he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Really? AWESOME!" Chopper bounced up and down happily, and Lion laughed, his booming voice echoing across the seas again. He returned to his original spot against the mast, and began his tall tale.

Nami smiled to herself as she glanced out the window to see Lion bouncing Chopper on his knee, probably telling him some out of the world story. Brooke was playing his violin, Franky had disappeared below deck, and so did Usopp. Robin was in the aquarium, most likely reading, and the idiot combo was KO'd for now. She pushed up her glasses and returned to her map. She carefully stenciled the outline of the last island, careful to keep the shape of the land in mind. She remembered that the reefs were high, so she quickly sketched that out as a warning. It wouldn't do for someone to run into those because her maps were half assed. She picked up her ruler, and measured the island to the scale. Perfect. She took a sip from the cup at her side, and grimaced. It was her first time trying to make a fruit drink, since Sanji was usually the one who brought them, and she had made quite the mess. Well, she'd just have to have the cook clean up later, he probably wouldn't mind. Nami looked up as she heard the door open and close. Luffy walked in, gnawing on the fake turkey leg, and sauntered towards the fridge.

"Luffy, no…" Nami sighed, taking off her glasses and getting out of her chair. "That things is a toy, Luffy, it's not for eating." She walked over to her captain and attempted to wrestle the rubber chew toy from his mouth. "Give-give it. Give it to me." She struggled as the rubber boy's teeth clamped down on his prize. "Give me the freaking toy, Luffy!" Nami's fist came down on his head, effectively knocking him to the floor.

"Ooow." He pined, sitting up. "What was that for, Nami?"

"This. Is. A. Toy." Nami snarled, waving the turkey leg like a club. "You can't eat it, it's rubber."

"Sure I can." Luffy rubbed the bump growing on the back of his skull. "I mean, it's a little tough, but that's what I came to get milk for." Nami's newfound weapon smashed into the side of his face, and he crashed back into the floor.

"Why did you hit me _again_?" he moaned from his spot on the floor.

"Because I could." Was the simple reply. Suddenly, Nami felt something wet in her hand. She looked down and nearly threw up. Luffy, being Luffy, had of course, slobbered all over the toy. And she was gripping it in her hand. She screamed and threw the thing across the room, where it bounced off the wall and rolled on the ground, marinating in a small puddle of drool.

"Luffy, that's disgusting!" Nami exclaimed as she walked towards the sink, making sure she stomped on the idiot's head as she went by him. She could hear her captain get to his feet and brushing himself off.

"Honestly, can't you have some decency?" She muttered, lathering her hands with soap.

"Hey Nami, how did you know that the meat was in Ossan's bag?" Luffy inquired curiously.

"Hmm?" Nami looked over his shoulder where the boy sat at the table. "Well, I've known Neko ojii-chan my whole life. He always has something fun in his bags." She rinsed her hand with warm water, scrubbing the soap off. "I figured that there would be something distracting enough to get rid of you."

"So you've known him for a really long time then?" Luffy inquired.

"Yeah, pretty much. My whole life is a really long time to me." Nami reached up and grabbed a towel, drying her hands and inspecting them, making sure they were slobber free.

"So what is he to you?" Something about Luffy's voice was dark. Nami turned around in surprise. Luffy was actually deep in thought, which never happens.

"Umm, a fun uncle I guess." Nami thought about it for a second. "Maybe like a grandfather or something." She looked back at Luffy. "Why?"

"…Nothing." Luffy was still trapped in his own thoughts. "Just something about him, I guess."

"What? What about him?" Nami stared at her captain. He wasn't exactly the brooding type.

"He just feels…dangerous, I guess." She frowned. Neko ojii-chan was the nicest guy she knew. Ever since she was a kid, she could remember his laugh, his smile, and his cart loaded with toys and treats.

"Tch, you're an idiot Luffy." She walked away; annoyed that she had even bothered listening to this moron. "Neko ojii-chan's not like you guys. He's just a normal person who wouldn't, and probably couldn't, hurt a fly." She waved her hand dismissively. "I mean, I've seen him get kicked around by a five pound tabby. It was hilarious." The door swung open, and a flushed Chopper ran in.

"Luffy! You should totally ask Lion-ossan to join our crew! He fought off over five thousand snake men and climbed the Red Line with nothing but his hands! He's awesome!" Chopper said all in one breath. Nami chuckled at the ridiculous story, remembering the first time she had heard it.

"Nope."

"Eh?" Chopper's face fell and he clung to the Straw Hat captain's leg. "Why? Why not Luffy? He's so strong though!"

"Don't wanna." Luffy got up and stuck his hands in his pockets, mimicking Zoro's walk. He strutted out of the kitchen, a whining Chopper still attached. Nami watched them leave, and glanced out the window, where Lion was sitting against the mast, humming to himself.

"Like he could be dangerous…he lost a fight to a _cat_, for crying out loud."

Night had fallen, and Lion yawned, leaning against the wall. Technically, he was supposed do watch in the crow's nest, or in this ships case, the observation tower. But it was too troublesome to climb all the way up there, and just come back down. He pulled a large pistol out from his holster, and flipped the cylinder out. He checked that all six shots were loaded, and flipped the cylinder back in, spinning it out of boredom. He cocked the hammer and walked towards the edge of the deck whistling as he went.

A pair of red eyes glowed beneath the water. As the creature ascended, in search of its next meal, everything moved out of its way. Nothing could stop it, for it was a King in its domain. It had the right to kill, because it was powerful. And that was how things went in the sea. Only the strong survive. It spotted a pod of whales, obliviously traveling in its turf. The monster practically smiled as it stealthily swam up behind them, and opened its enormous mouth. Half of the pod was gone in a few bites, and that was but a morsel to him. Nothing but an appetizer, for the true meal would be the hunt it would savor for the whole night. Suddenly, it spotted a speck on the surface world. It was a vessel, containing creatures inside of it. They were weak and unfulfilling, but extremely entertaining to hunt. They would panic first, mewling in fear as they tried to fight back, shooting strange orbs at him. But it was never effective. The orbs would simply bounce off, and they would cower in fear, attempt to flee. And they would die. Why? Because that was the hunt. It zeroed in on the vessel, and swam up. The surface of the water ballooned as the humongous Sea King reared it's head out of the sea. But before the water had even cleared its eyes, before its nose could even breach the surface, it froze. Something chilled it to the very bone, refused to let it move. The animal in it told it to run, flee, and hide like the creatures it hunted. But it couldn't. It moved it's blood red eyes up towards the top of the vessel, and noticed a small creature standing there, smiling at it, with one of the strange weapons in it's clutches.

"Hi."

……

Wasn't really satisfied with this one, not sure why. I think I rushed the beginning, but I didn't really feel like retyping the entire last chapter, figured you guys probably already read it. Well, whatever, might come back and fix it, I'll let yah know.


	5. A Sea Of Blood

Zoro's eyes shot open, and he sat up, alert. The last thing he had remembered was dog paddling in circles out in the ocean, but that didn't matter anymore. He was back in his own hammock, and _that_ was definitely just a gunshot. A very loud gunshot. Thing is, no one in the crew used guns. He swung his legs over the edge of his hammock, careful not to smack Luffy in the face with his foot, and heaved himself out of the net of threads. He landed quietly on the wooden decks, and padded towards the door with his bare feet. He stopped to retrieve Wado Ichimonji from its spot next to the door. Zoro briefly considered taking his other swords as well, but soon reconsidered. For what he was about to do, one sword was more than enough. He reached out towards the knob, but stopped, as he heard soft footsteps on the other side. With a smirk, he pulled Wado Ichimonji from its sheath, and stabbed the blade through the wood of the door. By his calculations, it should be perfect. He expected the intruder to be skewered on the other side of the door. What he didn't expect was for the sword to stop, as if it had just tried to stab through steel. Zoro frowned.

"Strange, maybe I got the weight wrong." He thought to himself. The footsteps stopped, and he leaned on the sword again. This time, the blade fully penetrated, and he could feel flesh separate on the other side, along with a grunt of pain. He grinned to himself, and pulled the blade from the door, cleaning the blood off his sword as he sheathed it. He placed the sword back in its spot, and yawned, heading back towards his hammock. Even as blood seeped through from beneath the door, he resolved to toss the body overboard in the morning. But that could come later. For now, he had a massive headache, and could really use some sleep.

Sanji opened a crusty eye sleepily. He could feel the sun pounding on his face. Which means it's probably morning. Which also means it was time for him to make breakfast. He sat up in his hammock and yawned, stretching the cricks in his arms and back as he stood up. Almost instantly, he was overcome with a wave of nausea, forcing him back into his hammock. Sanji groaned, and slapped his cheeks, forcing himself into action. He sniffed his hands and grimaced. Marinating in the ocean for hours on end didn't do anything good for his body, made him stink of salt. Making a mental note to shower after he made the crew a meal, he slowly got up again. Testing his balance, Sanji finally felt that it was safe enough to move. He walked over to the drawers, and after locating his, pulled out a new shirt and pair of pants. Just because he reeked of salt didn't mean his clothes had to too. As an afterthought, he sprayed some cologne on in hopes of drowning out the odor, at least temporarily. Buttoning up his new shirt, he slipped into his shoes, and walked out the door. Almost instantly, he fell on his face. He hastily stood up and brushed off his new pants, which now had dust on them. His temper flared and he kicked the idiot who decided it'd be funny to pass out in front of the men's quarters.

"Oi, don't sleep somewhere so bothersome you shitty bastard…" he grumbled as he stumbled towards the kitchen. He walked up the stairs and opened the door to his haven. First things first, he washed his face and made sure he was presentable. No way he could greet his beautiful Nami-swan with bloodshot, crusty eyes. He lit up his first cigarette of the day. Now, he could work. Sanji opened the fridge and pulled out two dozen eggs and a large chunk of pork. Out of the storage came onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and some salt and pepper. He cracked the eggs into a large bowl and beat it into a pulp. Expertly wielding a kitchen knife, he sliced the pork into bacon, ham, and minced meat. He set the bacon on a pan to fry, and dipped the eggs into a different one, letting them cook. He threw the ham onto the grill, and could hear the fat sizzle. He turned the faucet on full blast and let the water wash the tomatoes as he peeled the onions.

"Shit." Sanji cursed as he dropped an onion. He bent down and picked it up, blowing on the onion and cleaning it on his shirt. No need to throw away perfectly good food. Then he noticed something. His shoe had sauce on it.

"Huh…" He looked around, looking for the source.

"Wait a minute…" he thought to himself, "I didn't open any sauces yet." He put the onion on the counter and bent over, running a finger over the top of his leather shoe. He brought his finger to his face and inspected the substance closely. He gave it a sniff, and his eyes widened in realization. His freshly lit cigarette fell from his mouth.

"Oh shit…" He turned on his heel and ran out of the kitchen, brushing Robin without so much turning a head at her. He leapt over the railing, and sure enough, the body was still there, surrounded by blood.

"Hey! Are you okay?" Sanji frantically shook the man's shoulders, hoping that doing so would bring him back to life. "Oi! Oi! Come on! Wake up!" He looked around frantically. Robin poked her head out of the kitchen curiously.

"Cook-san, the kitchen is on fire…"

"CHOPPER!!!"

The Straw Hat crew sat around the table quietly, the usual bluster and excitement gone. Robin comforted a sobbing Nami, and even Zoro looked sorry about what he did. He raised a hand tentatively and opened his mouth to apologize, but a look from the archeologist silenced him.

"This isn't a good time for that, " her eyes told him, so he put his hand back down and remained silent. Zoro turned his gaze to the ground, and gritted his teeth.

"Stupid…" he thought to himself, "Stupid, stupid, stupid. Shoulda checked who it was before stabbing randomly through walls." Sanji suddenly stood up, muttering something about cleaning the burns off the walls, and walked into the kitchen. The awkward silence returned, and even Luffy knew better than to break it and complain about his hunger. Suddenly, the door slammed open, and there stood a blood encrusted Chopper. He looked at the crew, and burst into tears.

"THANK GOODNESS!!!" He howled, tears streaming down his furry cheeks and snot dribbling from his nose. "Uwaaaaaah!" The little doctor sat down right in the middle of the doorway, and cried his eyes out. Nami stood up, the chair clattering as it fell over.

"H-he's going to be okay?" She asked with a strained voice.

"Yeah." Chopper sniffed, wiping at tears that wouldn't go away. "H-he got lucky, cause Zoro didn't hit any vitals, but he lost so much b-blood! At his age, t-that kind of b-blood loss nearly killed him…and…and…" The reindeer couldn't even finish his words as a fresh torrent of sobs and tears interrupted him. Nami sank to her knees, clutching the table.

"Thank goodness…" she whispered, as tears of her own began rolling down her face again. "Thank goodness…"

Luffy let out a whoop and picked up Chopper, dancing with him. "You're the greatest doctor ever Chopper! That's incredible!" Suddenly, all the tension was gone. Usopp and Franky had broken out in song, accompanied by Brooke on his violin. Zoro had his head on the table, obviously relieved. Sanji had given up scrubbing the burns from the fire, and was now starting breakfast again with a smile on his face. And Robin realized she was suddenly very, very hungry. Amidst the partying pirates, Nami finally regained her strength, and crept out the door.

"Hey Chopper," she whispered to the doctor as he danced with Luffy.

"Hmm?" He asked, looking at her with watery eyes.

"Can I go see him?"

"Unh!" He smiled happily, "I'll take you down to go see him, I should check on him anyways." Prying himself from Luffy's arms, Chopper leapt down and waddled towards the infirmary. Nami followed him through the doors, and there was Lion, lying on the infirmary bed. His abdomen was wound with bandages, but even then, the blood seeped through.

"Oh no…" Chopper murmured, rushing over. "He's bleeding through the bandages." He cut the bandages off, revealing a gaping hole in Lion's gut, which had been sewn shut. Chopper gingerly cleaned the wound, and applied a salve. He rewrapped the injured man, and lay him down on the bed. "He's unconscious right now, so you can't really talk to him." Chopper said to Nami. "But you're welcome to stay by him if you want."

"No, it's okay." Nami said with a smile, "I just wanted to make sure Ojii-san was okay." She watched his chest rise and fall. "And he seems to be fine to me." She turned towards the door.

"Well, that's kind of harsh." A hoarse voice croaked out. Nami froze at the doorway. "Couldn't you at least come hold an old man's hand before he dies?"

"EH?" Chopper yelled. "You're dying?" Nami turned, to see Lion sitting up with a weak smile as Chopper hurriedly checked all his vitals. "Relax doc, I'm just messing with you." He chuckled as Chopper collapsed back in his chair. Nami stood at the doorway, head down and fists clenched.

"Y-you're okay…" She whispered. Lion gave her a smile.

"Yeah, I'm okay." He held out his arms. "C'mere." Nami shook her head vigorously. "Come on," Lion cooed, "You know you want to." He was thrown back as the orange haired girl bolted across the room and flew into his chest. The girl he had watched grow into this beautiful woman was in the end, still just a little girl. He laughed softly and patted her back, letting his warmth tell her that he was still alive and kicking.

"Hey." He said. "I'm alright, okay?" She nodded, still buried in his chest. He let out a small sigh. "Hey," He lifted her chin with a finger. "I'm alright, okay?" She looked into his eyes, and saw the usual sparkle. Saw the laughter in them. And then she truly believed that he was okay.

"Yeah." She said, standing up and wiping her eyes. "Yeah, you're fine."

"Alright, now get out of here and go play." Lion looked up as he heard a thud and the sounds of partying. "Seems like they're having a blast." And with that, he shooed Nami out of the room with one hand. After she left, he grimaced and looked at his wound.

"Hey Chopper," he said, digging in the pocket of his vest. "Here, use this." He tossed a small vial at the confused doctor. Chopper popped the cork out, and sniffed the contents. His eyes grew wide as his professional mind processed what was in it.

"T-this is a medical marvel! How-" Chopper went quiet as Lion leaned over in pain.

"I'll let you keep the rest for study. Hell, I'll give you the recipe, if you want. Just use a bit on me." Chopper nodded and started unwrapping the new bandages. "Oh, and when you go up, tell Nami to change out of that shirt." The doctor looked up at his patient questioningly.

"Why?"

"Well, for one, I think it's drenched in my blood by now." Lion let out a deep breathe as he felt the hooves applying the medicine to his wounds. "And it's way too revealing." He stated crossly.

Zoro paced the deck, reciting the lines in his head over and over again. Luffy danced across the deck, alone now that Nami had dragged off his partner. Brooke was still 'Yoho'ing as he played the violin, and Usopp was telling Franky about a dream he had last night.

"-and then, he stopped the blade with one hand, no, one finger! And the unbelievable thing is, after he stopped it, he stood in front of it and let it stab him!" Zoro froze. He turned towards the liar/sharpshooter and stormed over to him. Usopp turned in the middle of his story as he heard the footsteps approaching him. A hand shot out and grabbed him by the nose, lifting him into the air.

"Owowowow! Zoro! What are you doing!?" Usopp cried out. He stopped his stuttering and looked at the swordsman fearfully, and rightfully so. Zoro had a terrifying look on his face as he glared down at Usopp.

"Tell me that story." He said quietly. "From the beginning." Usopp flinched as Zoro threw him on the ground and glared at him.

"A-alright, alright." He stammered, rubbing his nose, "No need to be so harsh about it."

"_Usopp_…" Zoro hissed, effectively shutting the sniper up.

"Umm…let's see…it was this dream I had last night." Usopp began. "I was in the workshop, trying to finish my new super awesome weapon. I got tired, and decided to head to bed, so I head for the door." He stopped, scratching his chin. "I look out the window, and there was Lion, walking towards the edge of the ship, so I thought 'Jesus, he's going to jump!' except he doesn't. He pulls out this huuuuuuge gun and aims it at the water, so I thought 'Jesus, he's fishing with a gun!' except he doesn't." Usopp shivered. "Then, out of the water came this _monstrous_ Sea King. Like, even bigger than the ones you encounter on the Calm Belt. It stops, and has this stare down with Lion, and then _Bam!_ Lion just shoots it in the face. The back of the head practically exploded!" Usopp shivered again. "And Lion just puts his gun away, and walks back. Suddenly, the Thousand Sunny grows swords from its body, but Lion just sticks out his hand and stops them with a single finger. And then I woke up in the workshop. It was pretty amazing." Usopp concluded. Zoro continued to glare at him.

"W-what, that was it!" Usopp scooted backwards, in fear of having his nose grabbed again. But Zoro didn't make a move at him. Instead, he spun around on his heel and walked towards the infirmary. He walked over Chopper, who had come out asking if anyone had seen Nami. He walked past Nami, who was laughing at something probably not even funny. And he walked right into the infirmary, where the large man lay sleeping. He quietly closed the door, and stealthily approached the sleeping giant. Zoro picked up a limp hand, and turned it over. Sure enough, on the left index finger, was a small cut. His mind raced back to Chopper's words.

"He got lucky, cause Zoro didn't hit any vitals…"

A Marine ship traveled along the waves. On the deck, stood a beautiful lady with the Marine's coat draped around her shoulders. Sailors ran around the deck, working the lines and sails. Suddenly, one of them let out a huge gasp, backing away from the water. He seemed indecisive for a bit, but finally ran over to the woman.

"Ma'am!" He saluted. "I think you should come and see this." She cocked her head quizzically and followed the sailor to the railing of the ship.

"It's the water ma'am." The Marine stated. "The water is filled with blood." The woman let her eyes wander towards the front of the ship. The Marine followed her gaze, and stumbled back in shock. Because as far as the eye could see, the ocean was contaminated a deep crimson. Shouts came from the other side of the ship, and she slowly walked over to see what the ruckus was about. There, floating in the water was the bloated corpse of a giant Sea King. Even dead, she could see the fear in its eyes.

"Wow… That's 'The Beast'." a Marine whispered in a hushed voice.

"The Beast?" another one inquired.

"The Beast…you mean that monster Sea King that's been attacking all the ships in this area?" a third said. The whispers became chatter, which soon became shouts.

"Well, somebody fish it in!" The woman wrinkled her nose as the Marines hooked the carcass and hauled it next to the ship. Or to be more precise, sailed the ship next to the carcass with lines attached to it. She hopped over the railing, jumping onto the body. She walked over and inspected the wound.

"What do you think could do something like that to The Beast?" She could hear the hushed voices, even from off the ship. She sniffed the air intuitively, caught a scent, and grinned.

"Well, well, well…" She climbed the ladder back onto the ship, her inspection done.

"Congratulations Marines, you boys just killed The Beast." She smiled to her crew. "You all deserve promotions." She stopped her navigator and whispered a new course into his ear. He snapped to attention, and ran back to the bridge, yelling orders into a mini Den Den Mushi. The woman took another sniff.

"It seems that no matter where you go, a sea of blood follows…" she muttered to herself. She turned in her high-heeled pumps, and walked back inside the ship, humming a soft tune to herself.

……

Yeah, yeah, I know. I move the plot really slowly. I just felt it was necessary I guess. Hoping as much as you guys are that this thing'll pick up the pace eventually. Don't really write it as much as I just let things flow. Well, I know I updated really fast this time, but that's because I was totally bored today. (Twice in one day XD) I need a teenage female OC pretty soon, one or two years younger than Nami. If anyone has any volunteers…(looks around hopefully) just send me a message with their detailed biography. Well, y'know, semi detailed, whatever. I'll try my best to integrate them and all that jazz. Might tweak a few points, but it should work out. Okay, I'm just too lazy to come up with another name, sorry. Well, see you soon, maybe. ^.^;


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